category : Famous People
George Washington Carver made Minneapolis, Kansas his hometown from 1880-1884, when he graduated from Minneapolis High School. This famous scientist who lived here and invented over 300 uses for the peanut, sweet potato, soy beans, and pecans, is best remembered for the one thing he did not invent: peanut butter! (Actually created hundreds of years ago by Native South Americans)

Born the son of slaves on or around July 12, 1864, in Diamond Grove, Missouri, George Washington Carver valued education, set new standards in agriculture, and had a sense of humor: \"When I was young, I said to God, God, tell me the mystery of the universe. But God answered, that knowledge is for me alone. So I said, God, tell me the mystery of the peanut. Then God said, well, George, that\'s more nearly your size.\"

When only a week old, George, a sibling, and his mother were kidnapped by Confederate raiders. Only George was found and returned to the Moses Carver family. His rescuer was paid with a $300 racehorse.

From an early age, George liked to walk early in the morning, studying the plants. He once said, \"Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God.\"

Around the age of 13 George moved to Fort Scott, Kansas, attending school while supporting himself doing laundry at a local hotel. He moved several more times as a teenager. While living in Olathe, Carver became acquainted with ex-slaves Ben and Lucy Seymour. He eventually moved to Minneapolis, Kansas, with the Seymours in the summer of 1880 and finished high school.

1890 Enrolled at Simpson College to study piano and art, their first Black student
1891 Transferred to State Agricultural College (now Iowa State University), Ames, IA
1893 Paintings get honorable mention at Chicago Worldâ€™s Fair
1894 Bachelor of Agriculture Degree earned at Ames
1894 Appointed member of faculty, Iowa State College
1896 Master of Agriculture Degree, Iowa State College
1896 he became director of the Dept. of Agricultural Research at what is now Tuskegee University
1916 Named Fellow, London Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts
1923 Recipient, Spingarn Medal for Distinguished Service to Science
1928 Honorary Degree, Doctor of Science, Simpson College
1935 he was appointed collaborator in the Division of Plant Mycology, U.S. Department of Agriculture
1939 Recipient, Roosevelt Medal for Contributions to Southern Agriculture
1939 Honorary Membership, American Inventors Society
1941 Honorary Degree, University of Rochester
1941 Recipient, Award of Merit by Variety Clubs of America
1942 Honorary Degree, Doctor of Science, Selma University, Alabama
1943 George Washington Carver died at Tuskegee, Alabama on January 5

Attractions and Upcoming Events

The rocks at Rock City are huge sandstone concretions in an area about the size of two football fields, 200 rocks--some as large as houses -- dot the landscape. There is no other place in the world where there are so many concretions of such giant size.

The Ottawa County Historical Museum features many outstanding displays. One of the world's premier George Washington Carver exhibits resides within the museum. Also included is an excellent military exhibit - one of the best anywhere.
There is an interesting dinosaur exhibit relating to

George Washington Carver made Minneapolis, Kansas his hometown from 1880-1884, when he graduated from Minneapolis High School. This famous scientist who lived here and invented over 300 uses for the peanut, sweet potato, soy beans, and pecans, is best remembered for the one thing he did not invent: